Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Season 5: Light and Darkness

Chapter 12: Alone in the Dark

As Syrus and Jesse rushed to Jaden, trying to get him to stand up, he recoiled at their touch and yelled louder than before in severe pain, almost as if their touches burned him. He couldn't even see; all he could see was darkness, nothing but darkness, and to Jesse and Syrus' horror, Jaden's body was glowing in an aura of Darkness.

"Jaden?!" cried Syrus.

"What's happening?!" yelled Jesse.

Just then, Axel Brodie swung over to them from the cliffs and onto the sandy beach.

"This is Nightshroud's doing!" he exclaimed angrily, "He must of planned to defeat one of our number, likely one that Jaden was particularly close to, after all, Banner travelled with him for years!"

"But why?" asked Jesse.

"So that when Jaden despaired over the loss of Banner, he would be vulnerable. Nightshroud would have easier access to his mind, filling it with Darkness!"

He shook Jaden by the shoulders roughly, trying to get the message through.

"Jaden, listen! Just listen! What happened to Dr Crowler and Professor Banner is not your fault!" he shouted, "They chose to risk themselves in order to weaken Nightshroud's forces! It was their choice and the fact they are trapped in the World of Darkness is Nightshroud's fault! You must pull out of this, to avenge them, to destroy Nightshroud!"

But nothing he said or did had any effect. Jaden was in so much pain, he howled in agony at Axel's shakes. Then he stopped.

Axel let go. "Jaden, look at me."

Jaden looked up directly at Axel and opened his eyes. Jesse, Syrus and Axel leapt back in shock. Jaden's eyes were like the Supreme King's again, but this time, the amber eyes were darkening and the whites in his eyes were going grey and from grey to dark grey.

"Jaden is no more." said a voice quite unlike Jaden's.

"Jaden!" yelled Syrus in panic.

Jaden's eyes turned completely black but then he doubled over again in more pain.

From afar, Nightshroud was relishing in his triumph.

"The plan is working! Jaden Yuki is under my powers of Darkness. Soon he will be so badly corrupted, he will go insane, then the Darkness inside him will consume him and his Supreme King persona and spirit completely...but he will not just go to the World of Darkness...he will be too darkened for even that...the Darkness within him will completely destroy him!"

Jaden had by now stopped again and was almost perfectly overwhelmed by is his inner Darkness. He had risen to his feet.

"Jaden?" murmured Syrus.

Jaden rounded on him and Axel. "You will fall to the Darkness!" he muttered in his demonic voice.

"No, Jaden!" called Axel, "You need to get this through your head! The Darkness is your enemy. Nightshroud is the enemy! We need you to lead us to victory!"

"Wrong!" said Jaden, "It is you who is my enemy!"

Jaden primed his Duel Disk. "And I will take you out first!"

"No, he isn't!" shouted Jesse, and Jaden turned to look at him.

"You're duelling me to get to OUR friends, Jaden!" ordered Jesse, and he set his own Duel Disk, Ruby hopping loyally onto his shoulder.

"You're foolish, but brave!" growled Dark Jaden.

"And that bravery will save you, my friend!" replied Jesse.